Sports

Maxwell helps Australia to thrilling win

Published

4 years ago

2022/06/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

Glenn Maxwell smashed an entertaining half-century.

Rex Clementine at Pallekele

Injury hit Australia put up a splendid show in the first ODI against Sri Lanka securing a thrilling two wicket win in Kandy on Tuesday with Glenn Maxwell smashing an entertaining half-century.

Maxwell batting at number seven rescued the Australia innings when he walked in at 189 for five with 93 runs required in 84 deliveries. The Victorian was unbeaten on 81 off 51 deliveries with six fours and six sixes. Australia required 12 runs off the last two overs and Maxwell ensured his side secured the win with nine balls to spare hitting Dushmantha Chameera for back-to-back sixes.

Sri Lanka’s spinners had been on the money, particularly leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who picked up four wickets, but Maxwell toyed with the bowling clearing the boundary with no trouble at all. His excellent running between the wickets put pressure on Sri Lankan fielders. With him on the rampage pulling and reverse sweeping at will, the bowlers were under pressure and started erring with their lengths.

Maxwell was involved in two crucial partnerships with the lower order to see Australia over the line. He had been given out leg before wicket to Chamika Karunaratne on ten but successfully overturned the decision after reviewing. From thereon, there was no stopping him as he brought up his 23rd ODI half-century with a reverse hit for four.

Australia have been forced to scrape the bottom of the barrel due to injuries. Mitchell Marsh (finger) and Mitchell Starc (calf) are not available for selection with injuries while Kane Richardson (hamstring) and Sean Abbott (finger) have returned home. The victory will cheer up the tourists with Starc and Marsh expected to be available for Colombo leg of Australia series.

When Sri Lanka set a target of 301, they were favourites to win as no team had chased that many at the venue. However, Australia’s target was revised and even if not, given the mood Maxwell was in, nothing seem to be impossible.

Three half-centuries enabled Sri Lanka to get to their total of 300. Openers Pathum Nissanka (56) and Danushka Gunathilaka (55) added 115 runs for the first wicket before being dismissed in quick succession.

Kusal Mendis then anchored the innings making an unbeaten 86 that came off 87 deliveries with eight fours and a six. They lost three wickets for 19 runs as Australia fought back but a 77-run stand between Mendis and Charith Asalanka (37) helped them to come out of the slump.

Hasaranga did much damage towards the end smashing 37 off 19 balls. He had scored 22 runs including four boundaries off the penultimate over of the innings bowled by Jhye Richardson.

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Sports

SLC rope in Rathour as batting coach ahead of World Cup

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Former India opener Vikram Rathour has been roped in as Sri Lanka’s Batting Coach ahead of the T20 World Cup, which the island nation will co-host twith India.

Sri Lanka Cricket have strengthened their backroom staff ahead of the World Cup by roping in former India opener Vikram Rathour as Batting Coach, SLC sources told The Island.

The 56-year-old brings a weighty CV to the dressing room, having been part of the Indian coaching set-up that lifted the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean in 2024. Rathour is currently serving as assistant coach of IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals, but will join the Sri Lankan camp next week.

Rathour is expected to stay on through the six-match white-ball series against England at R. Premadasa Stadium and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, before overseeing the team’s final tune-up for the World Cup. With a proven track record and a reputation for technical clarity, SLC will be hoping he can help the batters find their range before the big dance.

SLC have steadily been bolstering their support staff. Power-hitting coach Julian Wood was hired last year and continues to work with both the men’s and women’s teams from the High Performance Centre.

Former India Fielding Coach R. Sridhar has also had a stint with Sri Lanka overseeing fielding standards and is currently in Dambulla working with the squad involved in the three-match T20I series against Pakistan.

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Adding further firepower to the coaching arsenal, Sri Lanka great Lasith Malinga has been drafted in as fast-bowling coach up to the World Cup.

Sri Lanka have been placed in Group B of the 20-nation tournament alongside Australia, Oman, Zimbabwe and Ireland. The former champions open their campaign on February 8 against Ireland and are expected to progress to the second round, with Australia the only side ranked above them in the group.

An 18-member squad has already been named for the ongoing Pakistan series, with the final 15-man World Cup squad expected to be announced shortly.

The Sri Lankan leg of the tournament will be staged at R. Premadasa Stadium, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, while India will host the bulk of the competition, including the semi-finals and final. However, should Pakistan advance to the knock-out stages, both their semi-final and final will be played in Colombo under the hybrid model.

There has also been speculation that Bangladesh’s World Cup fixtures could be shifted to Colombo amid ongoing political tensions with India.

Sports

Mewan shines as Bens pull off three wicket win

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Under 19 Cricket

St. Benedict’s pulled off an exciting three wickets victory over St. Aloysius’ as Mewan Dissanayake held the batting line up together with an unbeaten half century in the Under 19 Division I tier ‘B’ match at Karandeniya on Wednesday.

‎Bens beat St. Aloysius’ by three wickets at Karandeniya

‎Scores

‎St. Aloysius’ 167 all out in 54.5 overs

(Chanul Sanketh 23, Vinod Danushka 23, Sevitha Dumal 37, Dulsath Nimviru 29; Yohan Edirisinghe 2/18, Vihanga Rathnayake 3/24, Lithika Jayasundara 3/09) and 116 all out in 52.1 overs (Chanul Sanketh 44; Ayesh Gajanayake 3/27, Lithika Jayasundara 2/16, Mewan Dissanayake 3/30)

‎St. Benedict’s 144 for 5 overnight 167 all out in 45 overs

(Tehan Bitar 30, Vihanga Rathnayake 28, Sithum Hasaranga 36, Lithika Jayasundara 31; Chenul Nethmina 4/42, Hiviru Nimtharana 4/22) and 117 for 7 in 31.3 overs (Mewan Dissanayake 52n.o.; Hiviru Nimtharana 2/09, Oshadha Devinda 3/39)

‎First innings win for Thurstan at Thurstan ground

‎‎Scores

‎Thurstan 257 all out in 74.4 overs (Akhen de Alwis 25, Yohan Senanayake 34, Rison Jansen 20, Sethru Fernando 57, Rachintha de Silva 29, Udarsha Nimsara 23, Dewmika Hewapathirana 21; Minaga Ariyadasa 5/88, Thenusha Nimsara 2/92, Nethuja Bashitha 2/25) and 121 for 4 decl.in 30.3 overs (Yohan Senanayake 44, Rachintha de Silva 63n.o.)

‎Richmond 69 for 2 overnight 166 all out in 53.5 overs

(Chalindu Karunaratne 52, Ameesha Rasanjana 25; Yovun Silpa 3/46, Thanuga Palihawadana 4/44) and 68 for 3 in 25 overs (Ameesha Rasanjana 24n.o.; Thanuga Palihawadana 3/39)

Sports

Dialog secures ICC Media Rights

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Left to right: Yamith Anuradha, Senior Product Manager – Media and Home Business, Dialog Axiata PLC; Pubudu Aluthgedara, Vice President / Head of Media and Home Business, Dialog Axiata PLC; Lim Li San, Group Chief Operating Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC; R.M. Manivannan, Chairman, Supreme Global Holdings; Thambithurai Lokeshwaran, Group Chief Executive Officer, Supreme Global Holdings; Satish Iyer, Chief Business Officer, TV Supreme

Dialog Television announced that it has secured the exclusive media rights in Sri Lanka for all International Cricket Council (ICC) events from 2026 to 2028, alongside a free-to-air broadcast collaboration with TV Supreme.

This landmark agreement positions Dialog Television as the official Pay-TV broadcaster of ICC events in Sri Lanka, covering all major tournaments across Men’s, Women’s and Under-19 formats. The rights include the ICC Cricket World Cups and T20 World Cups for both Men and Women, the ICC World Test Championship Final, and other ICC-sanctioned international events during the 2026–2028 period.

Dialog Television also holds the exclusive OTT and mobile streaming rights for ICC events in Sri Lanka, enabling fans to follow the action across smartphones, tablets, and connected devices. Supported by Dialog’s high-speed mobile network and expanding 5G capabilities, this ensures a smooth, high-quality viewing experience, allowing fans to enjoy ICC matches seamlessly via the Dialog ViU+ app, wherever they choose to watch.

Complementing its Pay-TV coverage, Dialog Television has partnered with TV Supreme as the official free-to-air (FTA) broadcast partner in Sri Lanka, ensuring nationwide access to ICC events. TV Supreme is a fast-growing free-to-air television network with an established presence in cricket broadcasting.